The present invention relates to a beverage container assembly for holding a beverage. The assembly comprises an outer container defining a body portion and a cylindrical neck portion. The cylindrical neck portion defines a rim located opposite the body portion. The beverage container assembly further comprises an inner bag positioned within the outer container and defining a pressure space inside the inner bag and a beverage space between the inner bag and the outer container. The beverage space is filled by beverage and the inner bag initially defines a folded state. By subjecting the inner bag) to a pressure fluid it is capable of expanding into an unfolded state in which the pressure space at least partially substitutes the beverage space. Both the inner bag and the neck portion are sealed off by a cap at a location between the rim and the body portion.

The present invention concerns a group (10) and method for measuring the pressure in closed containers (30) made from optically transparent material at least at a portion of a top space (31) thereof, and a filling and/or packaging plant (100) using the measuring group. In particular the present invention concerns a group and a method for contactlessly measuring the pressure in closed containers, able to be used directly in automatic filling and/or packaging plants operating at high speed, without the need to stop or slow down such plants or in any case to pick up the containers from the same. The measuring group for measuring the pressure in closed containers (30) made from optically transparent material at least at a portion of a top space (31) thereof, comprises at least one inspection area (20) adapted for the passage of at least one portion of a top space (31) of a closed container (30) of said closed containers; at least one laser source (11) with optical axis (A) for the emission of a laser beam at a wavelength tunable with an absorption wavelength of a gas contained in the top space (31) of the closed container (30), the at least one laser source (11) being positioned so as to direct the laser beam towards the at least one inspection area (20); at least one detector (12) positioned so as to detect at least one portion of the laser beam emitted by the laser source (11) once it has travelled through the inspection area (20) and to provide in output data representative of an absorption spectrum of said gas as a consequence of the passage of the laser beam through the inspection area (20); at least one device (14,14′) for detecting the signal acquisition time period corresponding to the passage of said at least one portion of a top space (31) of a closed container (30) through the inspection area; and is characterised in that it comprises means (41) for identifying signal contributions useful for the pressure measurement amongst the data representative of an absorption spectrum acquired during the signal acquisition time period.

The present invention concerns a group (10) and method for measuring the pressure in closed containers (30) made from optically transparent material at least at a portion of a top space (31) thereof, and a filling and/or packaging plant (100) using the measuring group. In particular the present invention concerns a group and a method for contactlessly measuring the pressure in closed containers, able to be used directly in automatic filling and/or packaging plants operating at high speed, without the need to stop or slow down such plants or in any case to pick up the containers from the same. The measuring group for measuring the pressure in closed containers (30) made from optically transparent material at least at a portion of a top space (31) thereof, comprises at least one inspection area (20) adapted for the passage of at least one portion of a top space (31) of a closed container (30) of said closed containers; at least one laser source (11) with optical axis (A) for the emission of a laser beam at a wavelength tunable with an absorption wavelength of a gas contained in the top space (31) of the closed container (30), the at least one laser source (11) being positioned so as to direct the laser beam towards the at least one inspection area (20); at least one detector (12) positioned so as to detect at least one portion of the laser beam emitted by the laser source (11) once it has travelled through the inspection area (20) and to provide in output data representative of an absorption spectrum of said gas as a consequence of the passage of the laser beam through the inspection area (20); at least one device (14,14′) for detecting the signal acquisition time period corresponding to the passage of said at least one portion of a top space (31) of a closed container (30) through the inspection area; and is characterised in that it comprises means (41) for identifying signal contributions useful for the pressure measurement amongst the data representative of an absorption spectrum acquired during the signal acquisition time period.

In a carbonated drink filling method, a preform is continuously transferred and introduced into a heating furnace, heated to a temperature for molding the preform into a container, molded into the container in a molding die after the preform exits the heating furnace, conveyed in an upright position during which a coolant (F) is injected to a bottom of the container to cool the bottom. The container is filled with a carbonated drink (a) through a mouth portion of the container, and the mouth portion is then sealed. The coolant is injected in the cooling to the bottom of the container from a nozzle opening on either or both sides of a conveyance line of the container, and the nozzle opening is directed diagonally upward to the bottom of the container in such a manner that an extension of the nozzle opening intersects with the conveyance line of the container.

In a carbonated drink filling method, a preform is continuously transferred and introduced into a heating furnace, heated to a temperature for molding the preform into a container, molded into the container in a molding die after the preform exits the heating furnace, conveyed in an upright position during which a coolant (F) is injected to a bottom of the container to cool the bottom. The container is filled with a carbonated drink (a) through a mouth portion of the container, and the mouth portion is then sealed. The coolant is injected in the cooling to the bottom of the container from a nozzle opening on either or both sides of a conveyance line of the container, and the nozzle opening is directed diagonally upward to the bottom of the container in such a manner that an extension of the nozzle opening intersects with the conveyance line of the container.

A filling machine comprises a rotor driven by a drive around a machine axis surrounded by a pitch circle on the rotor, filling elements provided at even pitch intervals around the pitch circle, a closure-element supporting-ring surrounding and concentric with the machine axis, closure elements, a filling-material discharge opening, and a locking device. Each closure element closes a corresponding filling element on an underside thereof during cleaning or disinfection of said filling machine. Relative movement between the ring and the rotor, which is generated by the drive, moves the closure elements between a non-engaged state, in which the closure elements are between filling elements on the pitch circle, and an engaged state, in which the closure elements are on an underside of a corresponding filling element. The locking device causes this state transition by blocking co-rotation of the ring and the rotor.

A filling system for filling bottles with liquid filling-material includes filling point pairs, each having filling points. Each filling point has a filling element and a container holder. Each filling element comprises a filling element housing, a liquid channel, a delivery opening that delivers liquid filling material to a bottle, a liquid valve that controls delivery through said delivery opening, a gas path control valve, and a lifter device for lifting and lowering said container holder. The lifter device includes a pneumatically operated actuating element. In operation, the actuating element connects to a bottle's interior

An aseptic filling machine capable of performing molding and filling at the same time that has a compact facility size, requires a reduced initial investment, requires a reduced running cost because of its simplified process, and ensures an aseptic condition with reliability, and an aseptic filling method therefor. An aseptic filling machine includes a pre-heating sterilizing portion that sterilizes a preform, a heating portion that heats the sterilized preform, a molding and filling portion that fills the heated preform with a sterilized content under high pressure, thereby molding the preform into a bottle and at the same time filling the preform with the content, and a sealing portion that seals the bottle filled with the content. Before the aseptic filling machine starts operating, each portion is sterilized. During operation of the aseptic filling machine, aseptic air is supplied to each portion to maintain the aseptic condition.

An aseptic filling machine capable of performing molding and filling at the same time that has a compact facility size, requires a reduced initial investment, requires a reduced running cost because of its simplified process, and ensures an aseptic condition with reliability, and an aseptic filling method therefor. An aseptic filling machine includes a pre-heating sterilizing portion that sterilizes a preform, a heating portion that heats the sterilized preform, a molding and filling portion that fills the heated preform with a sterilized content under high pressure, thereby molding the preform into a bottle and at the same time filling the preform with the content, and a sealing portion that seals the bottle filled with the content. Before the aseptic filling machine starts operating, each portion is sterilized. During operation of the aseptic filling machine, aseptic air is supplied to each portion to maintain the aseptic condition.

The present invention relates to a filling apparatus for filling containers with fluid products, and to the respective method, wherein the apparatus comprises a rest area arranged outside of a filling path and of a filling area, the rest area is accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers and actuating means to reciprocally move a first and a second filling unit from an operating condition to a rest condition; wherein in an operating condition one between a first and second filling unit is arranged in the filling area and able to be in fluid communication with the containers to be filled; and wherein in the rest condition the other between the first and second filling unit is arranged in the rest area accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers in the filling area.